Notts star Patel goes back to his cricket roots

Nottinghamshire cricketing great Samit Patel is going back to his roots to play for Langley Mill.

Here, Andy Heafield, takes up the story.

When Langley Mill player coach and former Derbyshire player Simon Lacey told his brother and club chairman Dan Lacey that he would be taking a holiday in the season, the first in 33 years of playing cricket, chairman Lacey worried about how he would find a replacement.

However, with a beaming smile, Dan Lacey revealed yesterday that returning to play for the club where he came through the junior ranks, would be Notts legend Samit Patel.

Patel will be making his long-awaited comeback at home for the Millers this Saturday against Clifton in Division 1 of the Derbyshire County Cricket League.

With Notts having no fixture this weekend Samit comes in with even coach Lacey acknowledging that “it isn’t a bad replacement”.

Patel. who has also represented England in all formats, last played for the Millers in 2001 when he was 16-years-old and about to start a cricket career that has seen him gain international honours for England in all formats.

In that 2001 match, against Kimberley Institute, he scored 117 in a second wicket stand with the Millers captain Andy Thompson and took two wickets for 13 runs. The Millers also hosted his testimonial last season where plans were first discussed for him to play for the club.

Last season saw him voted the Professional Cricketers’ Association Players’ Player of the Year for 2017 and the ex-England man helped them win both the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup last season, as Notts also earned promotion back to Division One.

He has also just signed a new deal until the end of the 2020 season, which will take his stay at Trent Bridge to 18 years and celebrated in style this week scoring a 62-ball hundred against local rivals Leicestershire.

Patel hopes to play for the Millers again this season as and when his Notts commitments allow, his brother Akhil already plays in the league for Ilkeston and his father Ron regularly spectates at the Millers ground where he played up until last season.

For further information please contact Andy Heafield on 07722 485213 or email a.heafield@btinternet.com.